With the goal of eating our way through the South, we packed the car in San Diego and hit the road. Our mission was easy, eat BBQ and visit Graceland. Or as they say down there, “Put a little South in your mouth.” And we did.
Originally, we had wanted to travel to Europe but our budget wouldn’t let us. Although, what we didn’t realize was that our whim decision to take a road trip across the USA would change our lives forever.
This time our pocket guide wasn’t a foreign language phrases book; it was a Road Food book. Written from two other food-inspired travelers, Jane & Michael Stern. Their book, “Road Food” served as our unofficial tour guide to most of our all American diners stops.
Gluttonous moans ensued as we charted our path between diners, BBQ joints, and pie shops.
The Book was Religion
We didn’t stop without searching a recommendation from it. Our route was pulled this way and that, based on the food we read about inside. The pages took us off the interstates and onto the byways, where we discovered the true art of road tripping.
In the southwest, we found ourselves miles between recommendations. We landed in everything from tumbleweed occupied ghost towns to vibrant, euro-clad-mining towns. On one occasion, the stretch of road in-between points exceeded even remote dining options, so we ate dinner at a gas station convenience mart.
Then the Paradigm Shifted
It became a task to hit the prime joints once we hit Texas. Then Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Arkansas followed. There were just too many options. We never even made it to Georgia or the Carolinas on our thirty-day, face mashing, BBQ-a-Thon but, that didn’t dent our intake.
With our bellies packed and pig-butt-ripping jaws fatigued, we forged like crusaders towards our next destination. Gluttonous moans ensued as we charted our path between diners, BBQ joints, and pie shops.
This is a photo tour of the places we gorged and other notable experiences.
Nibble on Our 30 Day Road Trip Menu:
[slideshow custom=1]
Still Want More?
Get our Grits, Gravy and Graceland Book from Blurb
Visit our original GGG Blog for indepth reviews, hotel stays and other wild road trip fun!
Or take your own food inspired road trip! A great place to start is RoadFood.com